ABSTRACT
Most epidemiology, prevention efforts, and policies concerning HIV among drug injectors have thus far been based on the psychological assumptions of methodological individualism. That is, we have tended to focus on the individual, and to see his or her probability of becoming infected with HIV as simply a function of his or her own individual behaviors. These behaviors, in turn, have been seen as being an outcome primarily of his or her personality and knowledge as they direct him or her to react to opportunities or threats. Given these assumptions, then, we have tended also to see AIDS prevention in individualistic terms: as providing information to individuals so they can make better-informed choices, or as providing counseling, therapy, skills training, or other assistance so that individuals can make their personalities more appropriate to avoiding AIDS risk behaviors. In addition, some prevention efforts have distributed riskreduction supplies-such as condoms or syringes-to individuals for their own use and, in some projects, to be passed on to other individuals.
